Anomalous Red Fox Sightings

The Black fox is a rare sight in the UK and is something of a mythological creature. Hunted to almost extinction, this melanistic version of the red fox carries a recessive gene that means it's appearance in nature is a rare occurrence indeed. In addition, the captive breeding of melanistic red foxes resulted in the Silver fox, an animal model developed for the fur trade and domesticated for tameness in a Russian experiment over a 50 year period.

In recent years, there appears to be a return of the melanistic gene to the UK fox population and the number of anomalous red fox sightings has increased as a result. While some of these sightings will be of wild foxes, some of the animals seen may be that of escaped exotic pets, which need to be located and returned home, which is why recording your sightings and reports is so important.

About Black Foxes UK

Black Foxes UK is a not-for-profit voluntary association of exotic animal enthusiasts that is dedicated to the collection & dissemination of accurate and reliable information on anomolous and melanistic red foxes, in order to raise awareness and understanding of this beautiful and mysterious creature.

If you have seen an unusually coloured fox in the wild and would like your sighting recorded, then pop over to our report a sighting page and we will add your sighting to the list.

If you have lost a domesticated silver fox, we can notify you of any sightings reported in your area and can put you in touch with those who can assist in returning your pet. We can also provide advice on preventing further escapes should it be needed.

If you are interested in joining Black Foxes UK as an independent reporter, feel free toContact Usfor more information on how you can help our cause.